We'll Get Better (A Collection of Zootopia One-Shots)
by CreativeBreath
Summary: The closer Nick & Judy become, the louder their differences threaten to tear them apart. My collection of one-shot stories centered around the ever-deepening, delicious relationship of everyone's favorite natural enemies.
1. Regrets

_**"Regrets"**_

Judy leaned her tired head against the passenger side glass of the police cruiser. Her eyes were closed, but the evening sun was shining so brightly, she could still feel the light coming through her eyelids. Nick was in the driver's seat, appearing to be of an equal level of exhaustion, the dark tint of his aviator sunglasses hiding his weary eyes. The pair was silent, the only sound being the occasional _ba-bum_ of the cabin as the SUV drove down the freeway.

After a few miles, the tires gave way to a pothole that knocked Judy out of her slumber, resulting an embarrassing snort that came out louder than she had wanted it to.

Nick chuckled, "Well, look who finally decided to wake up."

Judy groaned and leaned up in her seat, her eyes adjusting. "Mm, where are we going?"

"You'll find out soon enough, Carrots." Nick replied, a smug look on his face. Judy sighed in slight frustration. As Nick drove the police cruiser out of the city, she turned her gaze outside, watching the lights of downton become dimmer and dimmer in the distance, until the entire district resembled an ensemble of fireflies.

The pair had been working on a drug-trafficking case for the past week, yet somehow, Nick had persuaded Bogo to let them off work early today. Though she wasn't sure how he did it, she was just happy he came out of the Chief's office alive. Apparently, Nick wanted to take her somewhere special, but he refused to tell her where, or why, until they got there.

Typical Wilde, she thought.

In all honesty, she was more than thankful for the small break. Throughout the course of her life, Judy had never come across a friend who took the time to genuinely care about her feelings, or to have the sensitivity to understand what she was going though. One doesn't usually consider the side-effects of being alone until they end up lonely themselves. It seemed so odd to her; 8.4 million citizens in this city and no one seemed to care about anyone else's well-being. As much as it baffled her, it made her that much more grateful to have found the fox who she now called her best friend. The fact made Judy giggle inwardly, a gratifying feeling of rebellion rising in her mind. Who would have thought that two complete opposites, especially natural enemies, would become close in a city that wanted anything but. She loved his audacious and charming personality, though she would never fully admit to it. Nick had become a master at concealing his feelings, and the fact that she had the ability to get past his outer barrier made their relationship even more dear.

But that didn't make Nick appear any less _dangerous_.

She had long ago accepted the fact that they were natural enemies. He was a fox, and she was a rabbit. Though she knew he would not hurt her, there was something too realistic about the blueberry stain that had been on his neck. The way he had stalked her through the artificial grass; it was like she could still feel the dry blades brushing against her intensity of which he had grasped her neck with his mouth, carefully keeping his sharp canines mere millimeters away from her throat. Though they had only been acting, it had been _real_ enough for her to feel her own blood oozing down her neck.

She was jolted out of her thoughts when the car turned off the pavement and onto a dirt road. The fields of grain turned into a luscious canopy of trees, the mud from the ground kicking up onto the lower parts of the car's fender. Judy couldn't help but roll down the window and feel the cool autumn breeze flow past her fur, while a song of rustling leaves played in the air. The canopy opened up to a small, empty dirt parking lot that sat upon a cliff that faced east. Nick pulled up to a wooden parking block and cut the engine.

"We're here." said Nick, stepping out of the cruiser.

Judy opened the door to find herself standing on the edge of a wide rock cliff that overlooked a stunning view of the rainforest district. They were at such a high elevation that the artificial rain was actually falling _below_ them, while the trees looked like large patches of broccoli. And since the sun was setting on the other side of the planet, the first stars were becoming visible where the black of night mixed with the golden-orange of evening. She heard the crunch of gravel as Nick approached her side. "What do you think?"

Judy let out a breath in awe. "Wow, Nick! This place is so beautiful! How did you know about it?"

His upper lips curved into a small smile. "Hmm, I thought you might like it." Nick double tapped the cruiser's key, opening the rear hatch which revealed a brown picnic basket seated on top of a neatly folded red blanket. "My mother used to take me here when I was a kit. That was before she passed. Now, I usually just come up here to think."

Judy's heart sank. He had never told her that his mother had died. With everything he had gone through as a child, it's no wonder he ended up conning. He had no support. No care. No love. She couldn't help but wonder if he considered her his support system, but she decided not to ask.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It's fine, Judy. Really. She was never a big part of my life anyway."

Well. That sure made her feel better.

Nick pulled the basket and blanket out the trunk, and began spreading them out along the ground. He had thought of everything. There was a vast array of vegetables and fruits, (including blueberries, Nick's favorite) as well as a new bottle of sparkling carrot juice.

Judy's cheeks reddened, her hands clasping in front of her waist.

"Nick, you did all this… for me? Why?"

His eyes glanced up from the spread towards her, holding a certain level of sensitivity that she couldn't identify, nor had she seen before. She watched him as he closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and let out the same air with frustration. He adjusted his body so that he now sat indian-style on the blanket. He patted the space across from him.

"Can you come here, please?"

Without speaking, Judy obediently followed his gesturing and joined him on the blanket. Though it was still covered by cloth, she had never experienced the solid ground being so cozy.

Well, maybe it wasn't the _ground_ that was cozy.

His claws pulled her paws into his, and she watched him closely as he spoke to the earth.

"This is my apology to you, Judy."

Her face twisted into a confused expression. "Apology? What do you mean? You never did-"

"Shhhh." He stopped her, putting a single claw to her lips. Nick's gaze moved upwards until it met Judy's. For the first time, she was able to see the details of his irises, including the golden speckles that seemed to dance around the edges of his pupils. They glimmered with a twinge of guilt in the orange light. His mouth opened, pausing with hesitance before he continued.

"I… I'm sorry, _so_ sorry, for not believing in you."

Judy didn't move as she processed the statement in her head, over and over again, deconstructing words and syllables until the sentence didn't even sound English anymore. Nick gazed at her intently, watching her facial movement and waiting for a response. After a few more seconds of silence, Nick hesitantly began to elaborate.

"The first day we met? All those things I said about you and becoming police officer?"

And then it hit her. _Hard_. Nick was still holding on to all of the things he had said to her a year ago, along with the guilt that came with it. How come he had never told her until now? She felt her arms drop as his paws let go of hers, and his posture curved back in a rather droopy fashion. He was looking at the ground now, his elbows resting in his lap.

"I don't know what was wrong with me, Judy. It's like I never realized that you had feelings. Ever since I've gotten back from the Police Academy, I've truly been able to understand how much you've had to work for your goals, because I was in your shoes. I'm sorry, Carrots. It was disrespectful of me to just throw a stereotype around like that. Will you forgive me? I should have never-"

This time Judy was the one to interrupt. "Nick, there's no apology needed."

Only his eyes moved, glancing up. "What?"

"How long have you been stabbing yourself with guilt?" she asked.

And he just looked at her.

Judy leaned in closer, so that their knees were now touching. "From my perspective, I viewed what you said as just another obstacle. Nick, as a rabbit wanting to become a cop, I've dealt with obstacles my entire life. I mean, look at my parents! They're _still_ warming up to the idea of supporting my career decisions."

Smiling slightly, she her paw out, cupping it under his muzzle and tilting his head back to she could look into his eyes. His eyes looked _afraid_. Like a child's.

"You barely even knew me then, Nick. And I, you. You've had a difficult past, and I understand that. Sometimes bad things can change your perspective, but-"

"-But I'm different now." His eyes crinkled where the crimson fur started, and the corners of his mouth curved, but only slightly. Judy smiled, her buckteeth showing.

"That's right."

They stared at each other for a moment before Judy leaned up and wrapped her arms around his torso. She felt Nick do the same as he cradled her head with his neck, inhaling sharply.

"Thank you, Carrots. For everything."

The paws tightened around her, the heat of his body making for a nice contrast to the chilly, now darkened environment around them.

"You're welcome."

After a moment, Nick pulled his head back and glanced down at Judy, who's eyes were closed.

"Hey."

"What?"

"You know, there's one thing I don't regret saying to you."

"And what would that be, Mr. Pawpsicle?"

"You _really_ were a cute metermaid."


	2. Dysphoria

_**"Dysphoria"**_

When he looked at her, the only thing he saw was a confident, determined, and successful bunny who knew she had made it. They both knew. That's just who Judy was, how she had always been. Whether she felt like she was on top of the world, or like her world was standing on its last leg; it didn't matter. When she walked in a room, heads turned, her presence like a beam of fresh energy. Nick had an eye for details, and being a fox, he recognized the small things that even Judy herself wasn't aware of. He would occasionally watch her throughout their days together, though she never noticed, briefly pausing his work to observe things like Judy's posture at her desk, or perhaps how evenly she would shuffle papers before placing them in a file cabinet. Everything she did just seemed so right, so well put together. It almost seemed unfair to him

He was jealous of the perfection he saw in her eyes.

Nick now stood alone in his apartment, a cup of tea in his paws, pondering these things. His eyes scanned the cracked mirror on the wall in front of him, gaze trailing upwards, only stopping once he made eye contact with his reflection. For a moment, he could only stare at the bright green orbs peering back at him, wondering if they even belonged to him. He stood there, expectant, only to harshly turn his gaze towards the wooden boards of the floor. Setting his tea down, he switched his thoughts to the day he met Judy.

 _Toot toot._

She had stood up for him, denying her instinctive suspicion to give him the benefit of the doubt. And what had he done in return? He had _used_ her. He had lied and deceived her, and what stung him the most is that he had never cared. He hated himself for it, and was actually surprised that Judy didn't. She was the flame that had lit up his dark little world, and he had tried everything in his power to put it out before her light revealed what had been inside of him. He had forgotten that touching a flame would leave him with a nasty burn. Did he really tell her that she would never reach her dreams, while he had never even tried pursuing his own? Had he honestly said that seeing her fail would make him feel better about himself?

He was actually shocked, thankful even, when he realized that Judy had not taken his hateful words to heart. If it hadn't been for her, he might've continued to waste his life away, attempting to drag others down to his level of previous deceit. Sure, false personalities and dialogue had made him $200 a day, but they had clouded his true self. It was all a mask, disguising his insecurities and the massive hole in his heart.

Though he had never dared to let it slip through his lips, Nick had felt like he was drowning, and Judy was the only one to stop and pull him from beneath the surface. Now, Nick was floating in the middle of an ocean without any knowing of how to paddle, the only thing that would keep him above the water. He didn't understand who he was, or what he was meant for. Wasting 20 years of your life to popsicles definitely took its toll. Oh yes, he had bigger dreams, but they had long since been shoved to the back of his conscience. He barely reminded himself of them, much less anyone else. To him, the world was a blockade, a concrete wall smack in the middle between him and his passions. It didn't matter if he had the legs to jump clear over it. If the wall appeared too high, he wouldn't take the risk, in fear that the fall would break every bone in his body.

Though he had meticulously cloaked the fact, It didn't make it any less true; Nick was lonely. Though he would never admit it, he had desperately wanted a friend. No, not a regular rug or popsicle customer. Not a "business" partner. A friend. Someone who cared. Someone to laugh with, cry with. Someone who was actually interested in knowing how and what he was feeling about. Someone who believed.

Until Judy had come along, he had never looked at himself in the mirror and given a second look. Another day, another sale, right? That's what he had always thought. However, after all the time that Judy and him had spent together (which was almost every single day of the last 7 months), something felt different; foreign almost. It was as if Judy had torn a temporary hole in his blockade, ushering him to walk through with her to the other side. Though it was so simple, Nick was afraid to take the steps.

His thoughts hesitated, the environment around him coming back into focus, and his muzzle contorted into a pensive expression.

For the first time in his life, Nick Wilde became conscious that he was actually questioning himself.

"Wait."

"What?"

* * *

 _July 16th, 1993_

 _7:01pm_

 _After ripping off the muzzle, Nick had ran as fast as he could through the deserted, lamp-lit streets of Savannah Square. He was confused, demented. He could feel his heartbeat reverberate through his ears as his paws pounded against the wet pavement._

 _What had he done?_

 _His breaths sputtered as he reached his home, the wooden front door slamming open as he scurried towards the kitchen._

 _"MAMA!"_

 _Nick's mother, who had been putting away dishes, quickly turned in the direction of the scream to see her son burst into the room. His face was bloody, his entire body was bruised, and his orange cheeks were becoming stained with fresh tears. She dropped the glass plate in her hands, running towards him with open arms. "Oh my-Nicholas! What happened dear?" She gasped, taking him into her arms. With each breath, Nick let out a heart-wrenching sob of pain. His blood and tears had begun to stain her faded blouse. Poor little Nick could barely breath._

 _"T-THE BOYS! They, I-I thought...they put a muzzle on me! I d-don't know what I did wrong!" His mother didn't want to believe she had heard him correctly._

 _"Calm down Nicholas, I can't understand you! Now, who did you say-" Before she could finish, the pair heard heavy footsteps slowly trailing into the room, a husky male voice accompanying them._

 _"Just let the kid cry, Nancy." The man absent mindedly eyed Nick's injuries before returning his gaze to his wife's, which was full of distraught. He took a bottle of alcohol out of the rusted refrigerator._

 _"John, wait! Look at the boy's face! I'm not exactly sure yet, b-but I think those boys at the scout meeting did-"_

 _"I said LET THE KID CRY!" I knew you shouldn't have wasted our money on that ridiculous uniform anyways." Nick sniffed, his eyes widening in fear as he turned to look at the older fox, and his ears flattening against his skull._

 _"John! This is your son we're talking about her-"_

 _"My son? MY son?" He spat. "Do you honestly think I wanted to waste our time and money with that little runt?" He growled, smashing the beer bottle against the counter, startling both Nick and Nancy even more. John noticed the plate his wife had dropped, now shattered in pieces on the tiled floor, He shot a glare back at her, his yellow eyes glistening with anger. "And YOU!" He yelled, lunging towards her. "You useless little-!" His fist made contact with her jaw. There was a sickening snap, blood trickling from her mouth. Her protective grasp of Nick let go, causing him to fall onto the cold floor below. The last and only thing Nick could remember of his family were the echoing words of his father, and raindrops pouring on his head. "You're not my son anymore, so don't ever think you can come back!"_

 _And the wooden door slammed shut._

* * *

 _Never let them see that they get to you._

 _Never let them see._

 _NEVER._

* * *

 _Bzzzz. Bzzzz._

His mouth was slightly agape, his eyes were wet, and his entire body felt like it had broken out into a cold sweat. It took him a second to figure out how to breath again.

Bzzzz. Bzzzz.

Huh?

What is that?

His ears shifted in the direction of the sound. On his coffee table sat his small phone, scooting across the glass slightly as it vibrated. He attempted to calm himself down by talking into the air, forcing himself to chuckle. "Oh-right. Come on, Nick. Just your phone, that's all. You're fine. Dad is not here. You're fine."

"You're fine."

"You're fine."

"You're fine."

Needless to say, talking didn't help. At all.

 _Bzzzz. Bzzzz._

Shakily, he picked up the phone and tapped the answer key, not really caring who was on the other line, until he heard a familiar voice. "Nick! What are you doing in there?! I've literally rung your doorbell like five times!" Oh, oops. He had totally forgotten that he'd offered for Judy to come over to his apartment so they could run over the files of their most recent case.

"Aw, I'm sorry Carrots. Hold on, I'll be right there." Nick mumbled, hanging up the phone. He slouched over to the front door, opening it fully to reveal the bright face and violet eyes of his partner.

"Hey Nick!" She greeted with enthusiasm. "You know, for a second there, I thought you were-" She stopped herself, her face darkening when she saw the look that was on Nick's muzzle. His emerald eyes were void of life, glazed over, staring blankly at her. His mouth curved downwards slightly at the ends, and his shoulder blades, usually pushed back with confidence, now slumped forwards. Judy's face twisted into one of concern. Nick instantly knew what she was thinking, and he quickly adjusted his expression and positioning to something he hoped she would find acceptable. He forced a grin, shoving her quickly inside.

"Hi Carrots! Sorry I didn't answer the door sooner. I was just busy doing...fox stuff, you know me. SO what do you say we get started on those case files, huh? Nick walked over to his couch, not even waiting for Judy to answer the question. She swayed, confused by his haste. She hesitantly patted over to where Nick had sat down, his laptop already open.

"...Alrighty, sounds good." She couldn't help but feel uneasy as she joined him on the worn cushions, pulling the papers out of her canvas tote. Nick never got excited about going through paperwork, so why would he be so eager to do it now? She glanced at him, her eyes holding a mix of confusion and curiosity, noticing how focused the fox's gaze was on the screen in front of him. His tail thumped repeatedly on the cushion beside him, his posture stiff and his chest not rising and falling at it usually did. Something didn't feel right to her.

Nick's heart thumped at he sensed Judy's peripheral vision tear into the side of his head. He hear her ask, "So… how has your day been?"

"Uh, it's been pretty good, you?" He managed a small smile, but kept his eyes trained on the laptop's screen. The beat in his chest picked up when Judy didn't answer, or look away from him. Ugh, she knew, but he wasn't surprised by her perception - not one bit. He hated how she could see right through him, no matter what disguise he placed on the outside. For years, he had build up layers upon layers of false egos while conning. In fact, it was almost a requirement for the job. Occupation: deceiver? He'd succeeded in fooling just about everyone he came across while "working", including Judy herself, until he realized that she was too smart for his stage performances.

Judy kept staring at Nick, not saying a word, carefully studying his face. When she didn't respond to his question, he turned to meet her eyes; just what she had wanted. "Nick, is everything alright?" Que an exaggerated smirk with a side of half-closed eyelids; just what she had expected.

"I'm fine, Carrots! Why wouldn't I be? Now, last Wednesday, Bogo had-"

"Nick, stop."

His smile dropped instantly. "Stop what?"

"Oh please, you know what! That little "I'm gonna hide my feelings from my best friend" thing you're doing. You're hurting… I-I can see it in your eyes. I know something is wrong. Please don't lie to me."

Nick turned back to the computer, lying straight through his teeth. "Nothing's wrong, Carrots."

Judy hesitated. "Do you not trust me?"

Nick's eyes narrowed. "Listen, I don't feel comfortable talking about this."

"But I care about your how you feel! How are you not getting that?"

He slammed his laptop shut and let out a soft growl. "Because it's none of your business, Judy!"

She cringed at his use of her real name. "I know it's your business, but I'm also concerned about you!"

"You think just because we're partners, means you get access to everything in my life? You have no idea what I have been through!"

"But I just-"

Nick lunged at her, baring his teeth, and knocking his laptop onto the floor. "JUST SHUT UP, OKAY?!"

Judy gave a violent jerk, quickly backing up all the way to the opposite arm of the couch; the one farthest away from him. Her ears lay flat against her back. He saw she was shaking. Nick recoiled into himself in defeat, putting his head in his paws. He didn't want to look at her expression of fear that he had caused.

"Nick…...y-you're right. I should have just dropped it. I'm sorry. Your business is-"

Wait, was _she_ apologizing to _him_? "No no no no Judy," his voice was low, "I'm so, so sorry. I shouldn't have raised my voice at you like that. It's… it's my fault. P-please forgive me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…."

Nick sat, whimpering into his paws, as he felt tears begin to fall from his eyes. Why did he always have to screw everything up? He had already told Judy that he wouldn't hurt her, to calm her fears of him that she was so desperately trying to get rid of. There was no reason he needed to growl at her like that. And all she was trying to do was help him, comfort him! He had waited so many years for this type of person in his life, and he was terrified of losing her. And how had he responded to this God-given gift of a friend? By nearly giving her a heart attack! It's what he hated himself for, and he wouldn't be the least bit surprised if she was no longer in his apartment by the time he opened his eyes - until he felt a light tap on his shoulder.

"Hey you."

Nick peeked out from behind a paw to find Judy's bright, _(gorgeous)_ amethyst eyes staring back at his own. She leaned forward and gently lowered his paws from his face, revealing both of his _(omgoodness, he's actually kind of handsome, but I'm not gonna let him know I think that)_ glossy, forest-green eyes, giving his left cheek a few strokes, while wiping away some tears at the same time.

"Aw, don't cry Nick. I forgive you, you dumb fox. Here...lay your head down." She gestured to her lap. A rather dazed Nick gave her a hesitant look.

"You sure, Carrots?"

Judy rolled her eyes, sticking both of her arms out towards him. "Yes I'm sure! Come here!"

After a few long seconds of silence, Nick, finally, slowly crawled closer to Judy, resting his head in her lap so his muzzle faced up towards her chin. She gave the area under his chin where his fur turned white a few scratches.

"Nick, if you don't want to tell me what's wrong, that's fine-"

"No…. I-I want to tell you… just not right now?"

"That's fine with me. But just know that if there's ever something bothering you, I'm always here for you."

Nick was quiet for a moment, closing his eyes and letting out a breath. "Judy?"

"Mhmmm?" She stroked his snout.

"Why…why did you want to be a…a friend to me?"

She froze, causing Nick's body to tense up for a moment. "Because you looked like you needed one."

He chuckled, one eye opening. "Is that supposed to be an insult, _Officer Hopps_?"

Judy flicked the tip of his nose "Nooo, I'm just stating the facts of the case."

He responded with a low, content hum, closing his eye again. The pair was silent for a moment until Nick spoke up again.

"Thank you, Judy. Seriously. You are one incredible bunny. You know that, right?"

"...Do I know that?"

"Carrots, please don't finish it-"

"Yes, yes I do- _EEEEEEEKKKKK!_ Nick! Don't grab my tail like that!"

"Yeah, not sorry Fluff."


	3. Day Off (Part One)

_**Author's Note** \- HELLO EVERYBODY! WOW it's been a really long time! I'm sorry this has taken soo long, almost 2 months actually. I was busy with school finals but I'm now finally on summer break so I'll have the chance to write more often. I have had this story on my mind since the last time I updated, and I finished this chapter in about 8 hours (just so you know I'm still committed). I hope you enjoy it! Once again, review and tell me what you think! Story ideas are always appreciated as well! _

_-CreativeBreath_

* * *

 _ **"Day Off" (Part One)**_

Judy sat, utterly distracted, in the over-sized chair that was much-too-wide to comfortably seat her fuzzy behind, repeatedly tapping her fingerpads on the much-too-tall desk in front of her. She had had been patiently waiting for Chief Bogo too arrive, expectant for him to relay her morning duties for the day, but this morning he seemed to be late.

 _That's weird._

But the thing that bugged her the most was the fact that Nick, who had never missed a day of work, was not presently beside her in the seat.

 _Also weird. He didn't text me that he was sick or anything. I hope he's okay._

You see, that fox was her problem. Usually, Judy was never distracted by anything, always energized and prepared to take on whatever task was thrown at her, but the past week had just been… different.

She just couldn't get her mind off of _him_.

Despite attempting to chat with the larger officers around her, and completing 5 Sudoku puzzles on the napkins she had stole from Clawhauser's donut box, she could not remove her mind from her missing partner. Whenever she thought about him, something just made her stomach do a backflip. No… a triple backflip and a cartwheel on the side. Though Judy would never put one's looks over their personality, don't think she didn't take the chance of sneaking a couple peeks of Nick's bare upper body while everyone was changing in the locker room, letting her know he was clearly no couch potato. She ended up mentally kicking herself afterwards for doing it, though. The color of his eyes; how he looked at her, and smiled at her. A real smile, that's what she loved to see most from him. Not some sly smirk serving as a vanity. Though she thought the sarcastic part of his personality was charming, she loved it when his expressions were genuine. Maybe it was his fluffy tail that was almost more comfy than her own pillow. Just the fact that he allowed her to occasionally rest her head on it while they watched movies was sweet of him.

 _Mmmm… SOOOO fluffy…_

"HOPPS? **HOPPS!** "

The surprise of Bogo's hot breath on her face was enough to snap her out of her daydream and almost knock her out of the chair.

"AHH! W-wha? Sir?" Her eyes darted around the room to eventually find a finally present Nick Wilde standing by the exit door staring nervously at her. His tail was swishing back and forwards and his cheeks were puffed out anxiously.

 _When did he get here?_

She jolted back to the Chief's rather pissed-off face.

"HOW MANY TIMES MUST I SAY IT? YOU. WILDE. PARKING DUTY. NOW."

 _Dang it._

* * *

The pair walked silently until they were far, _far_ away from the meeting room before starting a conversation. Once they reached the lobby, Nick spoke first.

"Hey, you okay? You were a bit, uh, out of it."

Judy let out a long sigh, hoping it would relieve some tension. "Yeah I'm good, I guess. Just didn't expect the Chief to yell at me like that."

"You have to admit, his face looked hilarious."

"Nick, I thought I was gonna get fired."

"I know, that's why I didn't laugh."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Speaking of you, why were you so late this morning?" As they began walking again, Nick let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, heh, sorry about that Carrots. I actually needed to have a little one-on-one meeting with Bogo. That's why we were both late."

Judy's heart sank a bit. Whenever they had to see the Chief, it was always together, never apart. What she found even more unusual was the fact that Nick was the one who had requested the meeting. A very sensitive thought sparked a tightness in her chest.

"...You weren't requesting to change anything that has to do with our partnership, were you?"

Nick stopped walking and turned to her with concerned eyes, taking one of her paws into his. An unexpected triple backflip hit her stomach at that moment, as she was pulled into a trance by his sparkling emeralds.

"Judy," Nick began in a serious tone.

 _(but she thought his voice sounded deliciously husky)_

"-I would _never_ want to change anything regarding our partnership. I love it just the way it is." He paused, waiting for Judy to respond, but when she didn't, he continued. "Were you afraid I wanted to work with someone else?"

No response.

"...Someone like that new vixen who started working in the mail room last week? What did she tell me her name was? Oh that's right, Kai!"

Judy's ears popped up. "You talked to her!?" Knowing it was all too late, her hand still jumped up to cover her mouth as Nick's neutral face curved into a smirk.

"AHA! Gotcha, Fluff. Red-handed too. But chill out, she was just giving me a letter."

"UGH, Nick! I didn't mean-"

"Now, don't worry. I'll take it was a compliment. I've never seen you get jealous before, you know." he joked. Judy's red cheeks and drooping ears was a clear sign to him that she was not enjoying the conversation. She pulled her hand away from his and stared at the ground. "Aww, I'm sorry for teasing you, Carrots." His voice became serious again. "I want you to know that you're the best partner and friend I have ever had. I wouldn't trade that for anything." A soft smile that lit up his eyes appeared on his muzzle, and the butterflies in Judy's stomach only got worse.

"I-I'm sorry too Nick. I don't know what's gotten into me.

"Don't be sorry. It's understandable. You've been working overtime, Carrots, and I don't think it's healthy for you. Why don't ya take the rest of the day off? Take a nice long nap. I'd like to try my luck at 200 tickets before noon. Then maybe this evening we could do something together, just you and me?"

Judy shook her head. "Sorry, Nick. Bogo would never go for that. Besides, I'm in the middle of redecorating my apartment. I have to go get furniture and paint after work, so I need to get those tickets done as quickly as possible. I'll meet you at Snarlbucks for lunch, okay? Bye!" Nick watched as she waved and bounded off towards the cruisers. He put a hand on his hip and shook his head, sighing defeatedly.

"What am I gonna do with that bunny?"

* * *

When Judy stepped into her apartment later that night, she was exhausted. She had ended up skipping dinner due to case files she needed to sort, and lost all time for redecorating her place. Plopping down face-first on her small bed, she kept running her mind over the new emotions she begun to feel towards Nick. Were they normal? What did they mean? Was Nick experiencing them too? One by one, these questions popped themselves into her mind. Frankly, the confusion pissed her off. Judy, for all of her life, had never had a serious relationship with anyone besides her father and mother. Surprisingly, she was never close to any of her siblings, most likely due to her daring personality that took a sharp turn from the stereotypical bunny way of living. Or maybe it was just the fact that she had 275 of them - and counting. She had to admit, she'd been kind of a loner until she met Nick Wilde, her first genuine best friend.

With her mind being used as a central hub for all those questioning thoughts, it was clear she wouldn't be getting much sleep that night. The next morning she felt like roadkill, and the stares she got when she slouched her way into the ZPD were clear indicators of her disheveled appearance. When she reached the front desk, Clawhauser nearly spit out his soda.

"WOW, JUDY! What happened to you?" He looked her over frantically, noting her misplaced fur, wrinkled shirt, and the one ear that was bent backwards.

"Uhh, bad sleep I guess?" she let out a forced chuckle as she filled out the sign-in sheet and made her way into Bogo's office. Knocking slightly on the bottom of his desk to grab his attention, the Chief leaned over and peered at her from under his glasses. "A minute of your time, sir?"

"Yikes. Hopps, what happened to you?" Judy inwardly rolled her eyes.

"Nothing. Nothing I can't handle." She waved her paw dismissively. "However, I would like to apologize for being a bit out of it yesterday. It won't happen again. I promise."

Bogo nodded. "Understandable, Hopps. Everyone has their off-days. In fact, Nick has already told me he won't be coming in today."

"He didn't tell me that."

"Maybe not, but he did tell me to give you this." Bogo reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a small coffee cup, which had a piece of paper taped to the side. He handed it to Judy, who tore off the piece of paper and began to read it.

 _[Dear Carrots,_

 _I worry about you a lot, you clever bunny. But I worry because I care. You have been so busy lately that we haven't had any time to just, be friends to one another. I already told you the reason I was late yesterday was because I had a talk with Bogo. What I didn't tell you is that I requested him to order you the day off. He agreed, so no arguing with him. Please don't me mad at me. I planned something for us this evening, but I'm not telling you yet. Meet me at my apartment tonight at 7:30. See you then!_

 _-Nick]_

Judy stared at the paper for a moment, then took a sip of the cup, realizing that it was indeed her favorite flavor. Her mouth curved into a small smile. She turned to Bogo, a gentle expression on his face, who gestured towards the door.

"Go. Enjoy your day."

Needless to say, the butterflies were back, as she almost spilled her coffee while skipping out the door.


	4. Bouquet

**_"The Bouquet"_**

In the hours that followed, the city's skyline had become hidden behind dark, grey clouds that hung over the skyscrapers like a large sheet of cloth. The afternoon sun had disappeared, leaving dark, damp shadows on the world below. Heavy rains followed soon afterwards, drenching those who were unlucky enough to have been outside. One of those people happened to be Nick, who had been standing in front of _Otterton's Flower Shop_ for the past fifteen minutes, being that the line stretched out the front door. He had found an emergency umbrella in his ZPD backpack, thankfully, so for the moment he was quite comfortable.

Despite the popular opinion of most mammals finding the rain annoying, Nick actually enjoyed it. To him, it was a refreshing cleanse for the world of filth that had been laid out before him. The sounds of rain hitting his apartment rooftop and of echoing thunder could put him to sleep in minutes. He shivered as the cool air brushed over the exposed parts of his body. As he staredd blankly at the jaguar in front of him in the line, he found himself unusually quiet and calm. Wondering why he felt this way, he turned his gaze to the cars which dragged trails of mist along the street. He then turned to the people behind him in the line, observing similarly placid expressions on them. No one was trying to hustle him. No one was judging him. No one was coming after him. No one had even bothered to look at him.

And for the first time, he felt accepted by the world.

As droplets of rain fell off the points of his black umbrella, he stepped inside, feeling the heat of the building's climate warm his fur. The store was pleasantly laid out, with small lights shining on specialty items that sat on wooden shelves to the left and right, and bouquets upon bouquets behind the small desk at the front. When the small otter behind the desk saw Nick approaching, he ran out from behind, abandoning a customer, and ran into Nick's torso, giving him a warm hug.

" _Nicholas!_ My friend, how are you?"

Nick chuckled, smiling down at the otter. "I'm great Emmitt, thank you. Just looking to get something for Judy."

Emmitt paused for a moment, before his eyes lit up. "I have just the thing!" he said, scurrying towards one of the back shelves and plowing his paws into the bunches of flowers. Nick followed curiously, trying to see what he was grabbing, but his body blocked the view. Finally, he resurfaced, carrying a gorgeous set of twelve, gorgeous, lavender-shaded tulips.

Nick's eyes widened as he gently touched one of the delicate petals. " _Beautiful_. The same color of her eyes."

"They are nice, yes."

"How much I owe you?"

"Nothing. Consider it an apology gift for when my oldest son smacked you across the face with that soccerball."

Nick glanced at the flowers for a moment, looking a bit dazed. "I hope she'll like them."

"Worry not, my dear Nicholas. I know she will."

Nick thanked the otter and bid him farewell as he walked out the door with Judy's gift, returning back into the cold, wet city that beckoned him to the warmth of her side.

* * *

 _ **Authors Note** \- I hope you guys enjoyed this little piece! I wanted to get part of the story from Nick's perspective before we (hopp) back to Judy's POV. I was inspired to write this by some of the photos in the "Art of Zootopia" book which I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed the movie or just likes art in general. I hope you understood the vivid scenery that I was trying to paint, especially regarding the weather. Thanks for all the support I've been getting on this story - it's definitely not ending anytime soon! Stay on the look out for the next chapter!_

 _-CreativeBreath_


	5. Heroes

_Author's Note \- Hi guys! Sorry for the wait between chapters! I've been super busy lately, and I am currently struggling to come up with a finished idea for "Day Off Part 2" so for right now, I'm giving you guys a little bonus one-shot that I came up with a few months ago, but never got around to publishing. I know it's short, but I hope you enjoy it and its message!_

 _-CreativeBreath_

* * *

 ** _"A Hero To Me"_**

The air was cool and crisp on this particular Saturday morning in Downtown Zootopia. Judy had been on her way to the ZPD, happily hopping along, until she saw something that made her nearly trip over her own feet. She found herself, mouth agape, staring up at the side of an office building. On the structure's facade was an enormous poster of herself, dressed in her police uniform, with the ZPD slogans listed on the side. _"Honesty"_ , _"Bravery"_ , _"Integrity"_ , and the newest one, _"Equality"_. She was stunned. Honored, but stunned. Why had no one at the department told her about this advertisement? How many people had seen it? Would other animals start recognizing her? Even more unexpected, perhaps, were the painful memories brought back to her, reminding her of the time she had refused to accept Bellwether and Bogo's offer of becoming the face of the ZPD after Nick had left her. Judy dug her claws into the side of her arm, shaking her head. She needed to put those times behind her, know that she had been forgiven, and that self-pity wasn't going to help her.

Lost in her thoughts, a pair of orange paws wrapping around her torso made her nearly jump out of her fur.

"Boo."

"Ahhh!" She screamed, her body twisting around until she fell flat on her cottontail. She slowly opened her eyes to see a certain fox, dressed in police uniform, leaning over her pitiful state.

He winked. "Sorry sweetheart, didn't mean to cause you a heart-attack. You need CPR?"

Judy rolled her eyes. Using her position to her advantage, she kicked out her legs and hit Nick in one of his shins. He stumbled backwards, wrinkling his nose in pain. "Ow, shoot Carrots! I guess I deserved that."

"Yes, you did." With one paw, Nick held his sore leg and with the other, helped pull Judy to her feet. "What are you doing here anyways? And how did you know where to find me?"

Nick placed his arms behind his back and leaned back and forwards on his feet. "Relax Carrots, I was just enjoying my morning drive when I saw you walking. I thought you might want some company."

Judy dusted herself off. "I would, actually. Thank you." She gestured to the giant poster. "Have you seen this yet?" Nick's gaze snapped to where Judy's paw pointed, his eyes widening.

"Sweet mother! It turned out _way_ bigger than I had imagined!"

"Wait! You knew about this already?"

Nick waved a dismissive paw. "Yeah, yeah. Bogo wanted it to be a surprise for your one-year-anniversary of service to the ZPD. Everyone else at the precinct knew- um, expect for Clawhauser. We figured he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut. Happy anniversary, Judy. You deserve it."

Judy grinned, a warm feeling entering her cheeks. "Wow, that is...really amazing Nick. Thank you so much." Without responding, Nick slid behind Judy and rested his chin on her head, causing her ears to spread out.

"So Carrots, how does it feel to be _famous_?" Judy sighed and ducked out from under him, chuckling slightly.

"Oh please Nick, stop it. I am not famous."

"Mm, you sure about that?"

"Yes, and I certainly don't need any extra attention from strangers."

"Oh really? Tell that to _him_." Nick said, pointing behind her. Judy turned around to see a small grey bunny with black stripes, at least half her size, standing with a red ball in his paws. His big blue eyes were anxious.

"E-Excuse me ma'am," he began, "are you Officer Hopps, the bunny on that billboard?"

"Oh, hello there! And yes I am. What's your name?"

"Jack, ma'am. May I please have your autograph? O-On my ball? I wanna be an officer like you when I grow up. Or maybe even a secret agent! I don't know which one yet." Judy felt her heart turn to mush. She glared back at Nick, who was smirking at her, and turned back to the child.

"Aw, OF COURSE you can! And I'll tell ya, the special forces work very close with the ZPD, in case that helps your decision!" She took out a permanent marker and happily scribbled her signature on the ball and handed it back.

"Gee, thanks officer!" Jack smiled before pacing over to Nick, who hadn't expected the small, prey animal to approach him . "Officer fox sir? Can you sign it too, please?" Nick's astonished green eyes rested on the rabbit for a moment, before his mouth curved into a soft, genuine smile.

"Sure, kid." Nick quietly wrote on the ball and gave it back to the boy, who read the name that had been written down.

"Awesome! Thank you Officer… Wilde. You're a _hero_."

Nick drew a sharp intake of breath, as Jack ran back to rejoin his group of friends, who marveled at the newly-signed ball. The pair was silent as Nick turned to face Judy, who was beaming at him with the largest grin he had ever seen. She walked over and lightly touched his shoulder. He did not pull away.

Nick sighed heavily. "He called me a…"

"Mhmm."

"Do you think he really meant it Carrots?"

"I know he did."

"How do you know?"

"Because it's true."

She got another sigh from Nick as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, feeling his sweet, warm breath dance across her face. Shivers were sent down her spine as she felt the warmth of his body contrast the brisk air around them. His chest vibrated as he chuckled softly.

"Thank you, _Officerrr Hopps_." He stretched out the "r" sound with a playful growl.

Judy laughed, choosing to play along with his teasing.

"Oh so I'm Officer Hopps now, hm? What is it then, kind citizen? Would you like my autograph as well?"

"No, no not exactly." Nick murmured, a smug look on his face.

"What do you want then?"

He bent down, coming dangerously close to touching Judy's nose. He winked, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"I want you to _**arrest me**._ "

She kicked him in the other shin. Nick yelped.

"Dumb fox."

 _Maybe being "famous" wasn't so bad after all._


	6. Attraction

It was Judy who had suggested they watch a movie. Nick just brought the popcorn.

* * *

 _ **"Movie Night"**_

"You're fine. You look good, " she lied to herself in the mirror.

It was Friday evening. Judy had just finished a tiresome week on the force. She and Nick had been assigned separate duties for the week by Bogo, due to their levels of experience. They had barely seen each other at all, and she hungered for the fox's company. This weekend was the only time they would be able to have some time for themselves. So, as any good friend would, she'd invited him over to her apartment to watch a movie. Who knew someone could spend so long trying to look good in sweatpants and a hoodie. It wasn't her fault she was nervous; at least that's what she thought. Nick was her _friend_. Surely he wouldn't care about things like this. He wouldn't judge her. Maybe some playful teasing, but that was all.

So then why had her heartbeat suddenly turned into a drum?

The sunset shone magnificently through the skyline of downtown that made even the tallest of skyscrapers seem miniscule compared to the vast planet that surrounded them. Golden light dripped down through the windows and onto the oakwood floors of Judy's small bathroom, highlighting her fur and facial features in the mirror. She stared at them, perhaps a bit vacantly, her eyes narrowing as the mirror blurred reality and the reflection of light. She felt the marble countertop vibrate as a friendly chirp from her phone shook her from her trance.

The text was from Nick.

 _"I'm outside."_

That was a little strange, being that she hadn't heard a knock. With one last hesitant glance towards the mirror, she left the bathroom and padded down the hallway towards the entrance. She could feel the cold breeze of her swift movements under her feet as she walked. She reached the front door, slowly gripping the gold-plated knob and pulling back the door to reveal the most beautiful pair of emerald eyes she had ever seen. The eyes snapped towards her own, sparkling as Nick's rather inattentive expression smoothed into a warm, genuine smile. He was dressed in a very comfy-looking dark blue sweater and black sweatpants. She had to admit, the colors complimented his crimson fur handsomly, which also appeared to be brushed neater than usual. But the eyes though. _Mmm, yes_. The eyes were what she liked the most.

 _There goes that heart again._

She hadn't realized how much she had missed his voice until he spoke.

"Hey Carrots! What took you so long? I rang the doorbell like, 3 times."

She mentally slapped herself in the face. She knew she shouldn't have been so caught up in her reflection. Her index fingers twisted around each other. "Hi Nick! I'm sorry. Guess I just didn't hear."

"With those ears of yours?"

She nudged him the rib. "Oh stop it, Nick. Come on in." Judy moved back from the doorframe, letting the fox walk in, letting his fluffy tail brush against her legs. "You got the goods?"

"Extra salt, extra butter." Nick replied, his grin widened as he sat both bags of popcorn on the entry side table.

"Eww. You're ridiculous. I love it."

"I know you do. Come here."

Without warning, Nick approached Judy, wrapping his cotton-covered arms around her sides, pulling her close and burying his muzzle in her neck. "I missed my favorite vegetable this week. I barely even saw you." Judy inhaled sharply as he hugged her, but her frozen stance slowly melted the longer he touched her. After what seemed like an eternity, her paws finally molded themselves around his slim torso.

"I...I missed you too."

After a moment, Nick pulled away and smiled down at the bunny. His sharp eyes scanned her face, as if they were searching for something that lay under her skin. Nick exhaled, licking his lips.

"You look _good_ , Judy."

She could have sworn she felt her cheeks turn into strawberries.

"And you smell good, Nick."

She didn't know why her mouth had blurted that one out.

But it's not like she was lying.

Nick's eyes widened as he chuckled. "Why thank you ma'dam!"

Judy couldn't help but chuckle slightly herself. After a moment, there was only silence. It was a comfortable silence though, as the two stared into each other's eyes. Judy was the first one to speak.

"Well, you wanna watch the movie or what?"

"Hey now, you never even told me what you wanted to watch to watch!"

"Hmm, such a gentleman. Have you seen Meowana yet?"

"Nope."

He was pulled towards the couch as his larger paw was led by a smaller one, and for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Nick felt happy again.

* * *

 _ **6 hours later - 12:54am**_

Judy awoke on the couch to nothing. The living room was dark, nearly pitch black, the only light visible being the blinking blue dot on the DVR in front of her. And she was warm.

Probably because Nick had his entire body wrapped around hers.

She felt warm breath move past the top of her head as his sigh broke the echos of silence.

"Finally. I wondered how long you would be out."

She couldn't see him, but she could feel him smirking. A claw touched the lower corner of her right ear, and began scratching it.

And she tried so dang hard to keep her foot from repeatedly thumping against his leg.

Judy shifted her head up to where she thought his face would be, only to be met with two glowing green orbs staring back at her. She gazed at his eyes for a moment, almost in a mesmerized fashion. All the while, her ear continued to be touched.

"How are you able to see me, Nick?"

"You don't remember? It's my night vision."

When Judy didn't respond, the scratching stopped.

He lowered his voice. "Does that make you _uncomfortable_?" He heard her let out a sharp inhale, and then breath out again.

"No, no of course not."

Except the fact that it made him seem all the more dangerous to her.

Still, she found her body leaning more and more into his chest.

"Nick?"

"Mmm?"

"You're warm."

There was a soft laugh blended with a mumble. "Mmm, thank you Carrots."

And as his paws, knifelike claws and all, wrapped tighter around her body, she happened to feel gentle touch on her forehead.

The gentle touch of _lips_.

She didn't know how things had ended up like this.

But she liked it.

* * *

Please review if you liked it!


	7. (STORY UPDATE)

_Story Update_

 ** _Hello readers! Firstly, I just posted a NEW CHAPTER 1 to this story. Since it's the one people view the most, I want to make sure it's my best work and fits the direction I want to take the story. I would love for you to go check it out! Second, thank you for all the great feedback and suggestions on the previous author's note. I took every comment into consideration and I believe I've come up with a game plan. I'm going to continue this story, but make it so the chapters occur as random events, but in chronological order in relation to character development. I hope that makes sense, lol. Anyways, If you see some changes to chapter titles etc, don't fear! I'm just shifting things so this story will eventually become it's greatest version. Once again, thanks so much for all the continued support on this story, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!_**

 _-CreativeBreath_

 _September 12, 2016_


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